With the help of two Democrats, the Senate on March 23 confirmed Markwayne Mullin to replace Kristi Noem as the head of the Department of Homeland Security.
The pugilistic Oklahoma Republican senator now is tasked with leading not only a critical federal agency in mounting crisis, but also the immigration agenda of a White House that has increasingly found its hardline enforcement policies to be a political liability – in a midterm year that could cost the president's party control of Congress.
The largely partisan vote, 54-45, was a break from precedent, as senators of both parties have in the past shown at least some deference to their colleagues in the legislative chamber to support them for Cabinet positions. It was a stark reminder of a staunchly polarized Congress, especially when it comes to issues related to immigration.
All GOP senators except for one, Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, voted to confirm Mullin, a former mixed martial arts fighter who ran a multimillion-dollar plumbing business before he was first elected to Congress as a member of the House of Representatives over a decade ago.
Dozens of Israeli settlers rampaged across the occupied West Bank overnight on Saturday, torching cars and houses.
Russian forces carried out around 700 strikes across Ukraine’s southeastern Zaporizhzhia region over a 24-hour period, killing two people and injuring eight others, regional authorities said.
After warning of retaliatory attacks on U.S. and Israeli infrastructure, Iran on Saturday night launched missiles at two southern Israeli cities that lie close to the country's main nuclear research center.
NHL reporter Jessi Pierce and her three children were killed on Saturday in a weekend house fire in Minnesota, the league announced on its sports website Sunday.
Socialist candidate Emmanuel Grégoire won the Paris race Sunday, succeeding fellow party member Anne Hidalgo as the French capital’s mayor, as results of the final round of municipal elections showed clear gains for the traditional left and right, and one major win for the far right in the French Riviera city of Nice.
Israel bombs targets east of Tehran. IRGC officials assassinated by Israel. Netanyahu says Israel will “hold off” on further attacks on Iran’s energy facilities. Kuwait refinery hit for the second time.
